Oh, Deer! Hunting Season is Here

Posted on November 15th, 2023

It’s Deer Season! November 15^th, a well-respected holiday in northeast Michigan where the kiddos have the day off from school and many people use their vacation days to take time off of work. It’s none other than the opening day of firearm season for deer hunting season. This day is considere…

Top Haunted Places and Urban Legends of Alpena

Posted on October 24th, 2023

A bump in the night, a whisper in your ear. Is it your imagination? Perhaps it’s the wind. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s something else. Hauntings, urban legends, and Native American folklore are cultural experiences that can be found all over the world. Alpena is no exception with a rich history that…

7 Ideas for a Rainy Day in Alpena

Posted on August 23rd, 2023

The arrival of spring and summer brings us warmer weather, greener foliage, and bluer skies. We often credit rainy days for spoiling our plans with somber days inside. Kick those rainy day habits to the side and let mother nature take a day to rest and grow while you follow these 7 ideas to make the most o…

Stargazing at Rockport State Recreation Area. Photo by Paul Gerow

Preparing for the Perseids: Alpena’s Dark Skies

Posted on August 10th, 2023

Astrotourism is a growing trend, and with three state dark sky parks nearby, the Alpena area is an ideal destination for enjoying the cosmos. Rockport State Recreation Area, Thompson’s Harbor State Park, and Negwegon State Park all have sufficiently low enough levels of light pollution to be desi…

Alpena – A Sanctuary of Dark Skies

Posted on April 17th, 2023

If we had to pick something off the Alpena bucket list that you should never miss, it would be our dark sky experience! In February 2016, three state parks in the Alpena area received dark sky designation. These sanctuaries are far away from the harsh effects of excessive artificial light pollution…

Michigan Maple Syrup: the Inside Scoop on a Backyard Production

Posted on April 5th, 2023

Michigan is blessed with an abundance of maple trees, and maple syrup is the first farm crop to be harvested in Michigan each year. The process of making maple syrup didn’t begin with pancakes, though. North American Indians used it both as food and as medicine. Early American settlers observ…

Everyone Is Irish On St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted on March 14th, 2023

On March 17th, everyone is Irish! This week we will celebrate the annual tradition of St. Patrick’s Day and our Irish heritage by wearing green, drinking green beer, and eating corned beef and cabbage. But where did this all come from? The traditional Irish St. Patrick’s day feast consisted of pork a…

Road to Chippewa Hills Pathway by Steve Jakubcin

15 Things We Are Thankful For in Alpena, Sanctuary of the Great Lakes

Posted on November 23rd, 2022

With Thanksgiving approaching on Thursday, this is the perfect time to reflect on our lives over the past year and be grateful for what we have, what obstacles we have overcome, and for what the future may bring us. This Thanksgiving we wanted to share everything we are grateful for that Alpena has to…

A Peek Inside the Posen Potato Festival

Posted on September 7th, 2022

Local Experience Writer Lara King gives readers an inside look at a familiar favorite in Northeast Michigan. Alpena’s neighbor to the Northwest, Posen, has been celebrating the local potato harvest in Northeast Michigan for 68 years. Generations of families have grown up learning how to dance th…

10 Must See Lake Huron Beaches in the Alpena Area

Posted on August 19th, 2022

Picture this: the “Big Lake” breeze dancing through your hair while blue waves lap at the golden sand under your feet. The air is warm and unsalted. Alpena is welcoming you! The coastal beaches of Alpena and surrounding areas are little gems. Gems tucked away in this Northeastern corn…